Combined burial-casket and grave-vault.



I v J. W. FREEMAN. COMBINED BURIAL CASKET AND GRAVE VAULT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25, 1911.

1,021,403. Patented Mar.26,1912.

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' J. W. FREEMAN.

COMBINED BURIAL GASKET AND GRAVE VAULT.

APPLIOATION'I'ILED NOV. 25, 1911.

1,021,403. Patented Mar.26, 1912.

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JOSEPH FREEMAN, 0F COLUMBUS, OHIO.

COMBINED BURIAL-CASKET AND GRAVE-VAULT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 25, 1911,

Sriat No. 662,496.

- poses, that is, which can be used as a casket,

and which can afterward be scaled up to form an air tight metallic vaultsuitable for placing in a mausoleum or for burial in the ground.

The casket is made of metal and is provided with drop sides and endswhich are trimmed to give an ornamental appearance, and which canafterward be folded up and inclosed within a metallic cover which issoldered to the outer box or casing, to seal the same, and which willmore fully appear from the following description and the accompanyingdrawings.

In the drawingsFigure 1 is a perspective view of the casket, in opencondition.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the casket with the drop sides folded overthe top. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the casket provided with itscover, forming a grave vault. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of adetachable ornamental corner piece. Fig. 5 is a vertical sect-ion of thecasket shown in Fig. 1, the lid being closed. Fig. 6 is a verticalsection of the vault shown in Fig. 3.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 6 indicates the outer metal boxof the casket, preferably made of plain sheet metal. Within this isanother box or casing indicated at 7, made of corrugated metal. This hasat the top an angular frame 8 extending around the rim of the casing,with a flange 9 to support a wooden frame 10 to which the fabric liningor trimming 11 may be attached as desired. In use the exposed partswithin the casket will be covered with cloth or other suitable material(not shown) for the sake of appearance. The lid of the casket isindicated at 12, hinged to the frame 8.

The drop sides and ends are indicated at 13 and 14. These are shaped anddesigned to give an ornamental appearance and will be covered with clothon the exposed sides.

The frame thereof is made of sheet metal,-

and they are hinged as indicated at- 15 to the upper edgesof the enteror main box movable cloth-covered corner pieces 16 being placed aroundthe corners of the box, with their side edges lapped and clamped underthe ends of the parts 13 and 14, to hold said corner pieces temporarilyin po sition. The parts 13, 14 and 16 cover and completely conceal themetal box 6, and the sides and ends 13 and 14 are held in droppedposition by means of clips 17 made of ductile metal and fastened to thebottom of the box 6 and adapted to be looped over studs 18 projecting atthe lower edges of the drop sides and ends. These clips hold the partsin fixed position. The side handles 19 are secured to the drop sides 14,the clips 18 beingstout enough to support the weight of the casket whileit is being carried by the handles.

When the vault is to be placed in the grave or other receiving chamber,the clips 17 are bent out to release the studs 18, and may then beknocked off if desired. The false sides and ends 13 and 14 are thenswung up over the lid of the casket, as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 6, andthe corner pieces 16 are removed. The metal cover 20 is then placed overthe top of the casket, and soldered around its edges as indicated at 21,to the sides of the metal box 6, thereby completely inclosing the toppart of the casket and sealing the same. The cover may have handles 23for convenient manipulation, and when the structure is so assembled itforms a metallic grave vault which is air and water tight andpermanently sealed, in condition for placing in the grave or otherchamber adapted to receive it. Being made substantially of thin sheetmetal such as copper or sheet steel, the vault is not excessively heavyand serves the combined purposes of a casket and permanent vault, themetal parts being concealed during ceremonial exercises, at which timethe casket will not difier materially in appearance from an ordinarywooden casket.

What I claim is:

1. A burial casket comprising a box provided witlr drop sides and endshinged to the rim ofthe box and adapted to be folded down beside thesame, removable corner Patented Man-26,1912.

pieces adapted to be fitted to the corners of the box, and means toclamp said corner pieces against the box and under the edges of saidsides and ends.

2. A combined burial casket and grave vault, comprising a box having alid at the top, drop sides and ends hinged to the rim of the box andarranged to be swung down against the sides and ends of the box or swungup over the lid' of the box, and a cover fitting upon and adapted to besealed to the box and inclosing said drop sides and ends when they areswung up as stated.

3. A metal casket comprising a box,- ornamental sides and ends hinged tothe rim of said box and adapted to be folded down against the same orswung up over the top of the box, fastening devices to hold said sidesand ends in position when swung down, and handles fastened to the sides.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signa ture in presence of twowitnesses.

JOSEPH WV. FREEMAN.

Witnesses:

S. D. SHOEMAKER, L. M. GRAHAM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

. Washington, D. G.

